When Inter signed the young Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic in January 2013 for a reported 15 million euros, it was a hailed as a brilliant deal. 18 years old at the time, Kovacic was viewed as one of the up and coming stars in European football and upon arrival at Upon his arrival at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Kovačić was given the No. 10 shirt, previously worn by Wesley Sneijder.
Under Andrea Stramaccioni, Kovacic was quickly inserted in the starting line-up where he impressed with his composure and playmaking ability. In total Kovacic played 18 times for Inter last season, averaging almost 79 minutes per game. At the end of the season Kovacic won the "Gentleman Revelation of the Year" award, awarded by Inter fans.
Heading into this season, most Inter fans expected that in Kovacic the Nerazzurri had their No. 10 for the next decade. But unfortunately new Inter boss Walter Mazzarri did not get the memo. Under Mazzarri, Kovacic went backwards as a player and the manager's criticism of his play, especially after the Juventus loss early this year, makes you wonder if the midfielder still has a future at Inter.
So what went wrong this season for Kovacic? This chart from whoscored.com clearly illustrates the difference in Kovacic play under Strama and, now, Mazzarri.
The key stat to me is minutes per game. In the second half of last season, Strama to some degree built his team around his young playmaker. He was willing to put up with the Croat's growing pains because few players have his dribbling technique, balance and ball control. Playing every week allowed Kovacic to get into a rhythm in the game, he could play with freedom knowing that if he made a mistake he would not be substituted or dropped.
That has not been the case this season as Kovacic has averaged only 46 minutes per game. He has made 24 appearances, but on only four occasions has he started and not been substituted. He no longer plays with a freedom as he knows that if he makes a mistake, Mazzarri will drag him off. Or when he is used as a substitute, he has came off the bench 15 times with little time to get into any sort of match rhythm.
The strength of Kovacic's game is going forward, but that is not Mazzarri's style, which is "defence first." Earlier this season Mazzarri was asked about Kovacic's comments that he was too defensive and the Inter boss responded: "I think he meant that he has to improve the defensive side of his game. He believes in what I tell him. I've spoken to him about it."
Mazzarri also was very critical of Kovacic after the 3-1 loss to Juventus, saying: "Kovacic should have come out to close [Andrea] Pirlo down but when he didn't do that we ended up having a man less in midfield, which is what happened when when they scored."
So does Kovacic have a future at Inter? I don’t think so. Even with the expected departure of Esteban Cambiasso in the summer, Fredy Guarin, Ricky Alvarez and Hernanes will still be ahead of him in Mazzarri's mind, which doesn't bode well for the young Croatian.
And that is the frustrating part of Inter at the moment. Inter President Erik Thohir says that his vision of Inter is a team that invests in youth, a team that signs players who are under 26 years old.
Yet the club's actions are very different from that vision. Two of the three players that Inter have signed under Thohir's stewardship, Hernanes and Nemanja Vidic, are 28 and 33 respectively, hardly moves that suggest a youth revolution.
With the financial problems that Inter have, the signings of Hernanes and Vidic indicate that Inter are going all out to qualify for the Champions League as soon as possible and to do that, Mazzarri wants older, experienced players. He doesn't want young players who are up and down. He wants consistency.
For all the criticism of Inter's academy, there is actually of a good young core of players in Mazzarri's squad. Juan Jesus, Andrea Ranocchia, Kovacic, Saphir Taider and Mauro Icardi could provide the foundation of this Inter side for years to come. And that doesn't even take into consideration the young talent that Inter has given up on in recent years like Philippe Coutinho, Mattia Destro and Leonardo Bonucci.
I hope that Mateo Kovacic does not follow in their footsteps and leave the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but I am slowly becoming resigned to the possibility.